The consumer electronics marketplace has witnessed increasing replacement of traditional switches (pushbutton, toggle, etc.) with capacitive sense technology. One of the most recognized implementations of this technology are gesture based touch-screens such as the Apple iPhone's unlock feature (Apple™ and iPhone™ are trademarks of Apple, Inc. of Cupertino, Calif.). The user simply pushes and slides their finger across the bottom of the screen to unlock the device. That motion is intuitive to figure out. Additionally, the action of doing so is such that it cannot be easily done inadvertently if the device is in one's pocket.
Another example of a capacitive sense toggle switch can be seen on the Sony Playstation 3 (PS3) console system. (Sony™, Playstation™, and PS3™ are trademarks of Sony Corporation of Tokyo, Japan). The on/off power switch and the eject button of the PS3 are both cap sense buttons with logos imprinted on the plastic so the user knows its function.
Capacitive sense technology can also be expanded to proximity sensing. To utilize the iPhone as an example once again, the iPhone senses when it is in close proximity to the users' face during a call. It shuts off the backlight to save power and disables operation off all the buttons so they are not accidentally pressed.
Head-mounted displays (HMDs) and video eyewear provide large format pictures in a small form factor. The HMD is a portable media device and as such the unit is designed to be small and lightweight. A typical HMD connects to a battery pack and another portable device that serves as the video source. The controls for the HMD are normally located on the battery pack itself. The controls can also be placed inline with the cable on a small push-button adapter that will lie somewhere between the person's head (HMD location) and the person's waist (battery pack location).
Another style of HMD design is the stand-alone configuration. In this type there is no cable and no battery pack. Instead, the batteries and controls are located inside or on the HMD itself. This style of HMD typically has push-buttons and slide switches located on the arms. However, the user must memorize the button locations and functions prior to putting on the eyewear or figure it out through trial and error. It is generally not an intuitive design.